Care to Cut Your Hair?
by Sorrowxdarkness
Summary: A story between three girls. Before departing for college, they agreed to go for one final trip together. Jackie planned to leave to visit her family in the South, but with Carol and Whitney beside her, they were going to make the most of it. Whitney is having problems with her hair that is in need of an intervention. Genre: Slice of life, Comedy, ONE-SHOT, and slight Drama.


**A fanfic story requested by crafordbrian17. It took a while, mainly because I'm currently dealing with multiple jobs (more than two) at the moment. Hope you enjoy it! **

**Care to Cut Your Hair?**

**Loud House's fanfic**

**oooOOOooo**

"I like the feeling of this wind." Spoke Whitney. She kept her eyes closed as she allowed the sensation to take over. "It's different than what we have in Royal Woods."

"I agree. You don't get to see a scene like this." Carol

It was September 3rd. School was beginning pretty soon, yet these girls were currently visiting a friend's family down in Cartersville, South Carolina. Jackie was planning to leave to see both her aunt and uncle before the start of college. They were always very supportive with her when it came to choosing a career. The very least she could do, was to visit them once in a while.

The problem arises when Carol presented the girls with a last minute planner. Before they depart their separate ways, Carol wanted one last trip with her friends. Each one of them was enrolled at different university or public college. It was fated. They each bore a different dream and passion. But even so, they had something that kept them together. It may be silly, but around the necks of each girl, was a plastic ring. They were perfectly concealed from spectators as they hung around the necks of each girl. They were similar as they each had their own emblem; daisy, sunflower and tulip. It was cute to still have something from elementary school. A reminder and a keepsake.

It bothered Jackie a bit as she had to tell Carol her response. There was no way she could be part of her plan. To be in South Carolina, meant she could not be with her girls. Carol took out her planner as the girls were wondering on how to handle this problem.

Whitney wondered if this was the beginning of the inevitable end. Carol had a smile that brought a mischievous kid to shame. Fate was something no one could decide for them. As she kept her pen on the paper, scribbling her thoughts. She came with a resolution. The point of the trip was to hang with her three besties. _Why did the location matter? _

_ Answer: It doesn't. _

Carol smiled as she circled the obvious response. She looked up at the girl as she presented the girls her notes. With that said, the girls wasted no time for the preparation of a lifetime. They went to their typical Warmgood Cafe to enjoy in the rich brew drinks they had to offer. Each one was crafted by a skilled barista that left the cafe-chain to become an independent owner. His coffees became a staple of their town. One could not live in Royal Woods without ever trying any one of Craft's drinks. As they got their drinks, they planned. Each girl had her own tasks, along with a group task. They began with detailed information of where Jackie's uncle and aunt live. The type of living arrangement they were to expect. The weather around this time. People was a huge concern, but Jackie explained that it was a fairly mid-size community.

"Don't be surprised if you get a 'hello' or 'good day' from each and every one you come across." Jackie said proudly. People were not used to being on their phones, like literally all the time. They made use of their phones mainly for communication of their love ones. As long as they were respectable and humble, the people would respond the same.

Whitney was still worried. "Wouldn't we be intruding? I mean, this is for you to see them before leaving for college. Right?"

Carol waited. There was no point in talking until it came out of Jackie herself. Jackie assured them that she would give her aunt a call to see if it was permissible. They were overall nice people, with plenty of space to put all three of them in one room. The girls smiled at each other. The plan was set, as they simply had to execute it.

Returning to the scene before them, the girls sighed. It was a good start as they finally arrived to Cartersville. The flight to their destination was mostly dull, but they managed to keep themselves occupied. It took almost six hours, but they were fortunate, They took a late evening departure, sleeping most of the time before waking up early in the morning. They arrived and were greeted by a lovely couple. They knew which one was Jackie's family as they ran up to her as did she. They bore tears as they embraced each other. Carol and Whitney looked at each other, thinking the same thing.

It was a cute scene. They were compelled to take a photograph of the moment, but refrained. No point in taking this away from anyone; especially from their friend Jackie. Right on cue, the girls saw Jackie gesturing toward them. Introducing them to her family, the girls closed their distance. Each one gave her name to them as they got the welcome hospitalitythat Jackie told them about. The girls were fairly excited as they boarded the truck in the passenger rear seats. Jackie smiled as she sat between her two best friends while on the road to her aunt's and uncle's house.

In all honestly, it felt like she was now nine once again. When they first met, there were a slight hiccup between the three of them. They were introduced to each other by the teacher assistant when they had to break up into groups. The girls were assigned Dramatic Play in the kitchen. Awkward at first, they started off with a fight over who got to wear the tiara. Jackie began to laugh. That caught the other girls' attention as they asked what she found humorous. Their conversation went through as they reminisce about the good times when they were little. Whitney brought up their first time going shopping on their own. Something no one, especially their parents would forget. Then Carol talked about the time she needed help with her audition for the lead role back in middle school. It took several days of practice for the girl to nail the scene, but she was glad she had Jackie and Whitney to help with the anxiety.

Then again, there was a girl that was heavily disappointed by the cast list. Carol had the intentions of approaching the girl, to offer a sense of console. Instead, her family stood behind her. Reminding her that they were impressed by her performance that it brought a small smile on the girl's face. Carol's intervention was not required as she returned to her own group. As the truck made its way through the field, the girls had a vast display of the land before them. The suburban area they knew as Royal Woods held a candle compared to this majestic cake before them. People were on the land, a few on the crops while others were by the cattle. Each time the vehicle passed by a person, they would wave at the passengers. A different response than the people in their hometown.

The girls were already imagining what sort of adventures awaits for them in the town of Cartersville.

**oooOOOooo**

By their arrival, the girls were introduced to the humble home of Jackie's family. Her uncle insisted that the girls unpacked their belongings while Jackie's aunt worked on the dinner. Jackie, being already familiar with the layouts, offered to show the girls around. But first, they made their way to the second floor where the guest room resided. It was pretty large, making it somewhat comfortable with three people. The bed was a queen, meaning they really had to be careful. One unintentional shove and one of the girls could fall flat on the wooden floor.

Unpacking, the girls talked about their initial impression on the place. Carol was amazed by how open the area was. The air was indeed richer and the light was a lot brighter. It shined across the area evenly as the land was bathed by its shine. Whitney found the house roomy, impressed by it was only Jackie's aunt and uncle. Two people in one big house, felt like a mansion. Lucky them, thought the teen. Jackie spoke about how they had two children that left them the moment they got to college. And since then, they didn't visit the house anymore.

"Oh...but they still keep contact with them. Right?" Asked Carol. Why wouldn't you keep tabs with your family. There was no way. Right?

Jackie sighed. "Honestly, I don't think so. Stacy and Bret wasted no time in starting their career in the city. They might call once in a blue moon."

A bit disappointed, the girls agreed to shift the conversation to something else. "Oh, Whitney. Any new boys looking at your direction?" Jackie asked, interested with the response. Whitney was mostly single throughout their high school life. But it wasn't because she wasn't popular. The opposite in fact. Boys would come from all grades to approach her and confess their heart to her. They just didn't meet up with her demands. To date her, they must make her feel special. Make her heart to skip a beat. And above all else, make her happy to be around them. None of the boys could manage to complete any of her tasks, so she found no reason to date any of them. It was that simple.

"No...but maybe in college, I can find 'the one'. You know?" Whitney spoke as she got her set of brushes out and placed on the dresser top. Before she knew it, she began to brush her hair. It was a bit tough, but she was used to the effort.

"Honestly, I feel like I should simply focus on my career." Carol looked at her planner. There were notes about studying and looking into jobs near the area of Royal Woods. She did received a call for an internship, but she was still debating. But the future seemed bright and promising to say the least.

As the conversation between the girls continued, they eventually got a shout-out from Jackie's aunt. As they descended and arrived for dinner, the girls were met with platters of rice, corns, bread and a wholesome apple favor pie. The aroma from the kitchen was mouthwatering as they excitedly sat down.

And like that, the first day came to an end. The dinner was filled with conversation, food and laughter. A great start for their trip as the girls eventually went to bed.

**oooOOOooo**

The sun came and showered the dark room with its brightness. It struck the face of each girl as they began to stir. Fortunately for them, they had good sleeping postures. The girls each shared a laughter as they felt like little girls when they had their sleepovers in the past. They each agreed to take turns with the sleepover. First, then, and last. The cycle continued and they had so many wonderful memories. Agreeing to take turns with the bathroom, Carol got up first. The same order as the sleepover; based on who was on the very bottom of the volcano of Ms. Fritz's kindergarten's class. Disappearing from the room, Jackie and Whitney resumed their talk.

"Whitney, don't you think you should consider a trim. Your hair seemed a bit rough." Jackie was curious as she took hold of a strand of the hair she was referring to. Whitney's hair was all over the place, and it looked like a monster of sorts. In all honestly, it would probably be easier on the girl if it was a bit shorter.

"Girl, of course not! I'm used to treating my hair. I know it's a bit of a hassle, but I like it, I like the way it looks on me." Whitney brushed her hair. Jackie shrugged her shoulders, seeing like Whitney made her decision on the matter. Carol shouted for the next person. Jackie stood up and made her way to the bathroom leaving Whitney to her own device.

Brushing her hair some more, she began to take Jackie's words in consideration. But then shook it off, reminding herself that this was her. Her hand became more forceful, and before she knew it, her brush broke.

"Dang it." Spoke the girl as she threw the two pieces into the trash bin. Fortunately enough, she always brought a spare or two.

When it became her turn, she made her way to the cleared bathroom and closed the door. As she got herself ready, the other two girls were making their way downstairs. They already picked out their dress for their morning picnic. Jackie's aunt was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast when the girls appeared with their idea. Thinking nothing wrong with enjoying the nice scenery outdoor, Jackie's aunt provided them with a woven basket big enough for the food and blanket. Carol insisted that they help out with picking some sandwiches and refreshments. Jackie helped with the packing, making sure to use much of the space as possible.

All while Whitney dealt with a 'slight' dilemma in the bathroom. To think, it got to this degree of frustration. It was the third brush she broke. Viewing herself in the mirror, she started chanting. Something to regroup her composure before she flipped out. Her hair was indeed important to her, but right now it was really getting to her. Was it always this bothersome? She felt the fibers of her hair. They felt the same, but perhaps it was because of something called 'threshold'. Accustomed to its strength and curls, she tends to forget the differences to those of her besties.

Jackie felt silky, despite her usual response. She said they were slightly rough and annoying to strengthen out. She made sure to brush her hair 44 times every night; apparently because it was her lucky number. Carol was smooth and slightly wavy as they went well with the wind. Something that both her and Jackie admired. Carol simply said that she brushed it like any other person without real effort. Either way, comparison was indeed a factor that brought about the question of what was straight, soft, wavy, silky and so forth. Taking in a deep breath, she decided to try one more time. It was her last brush, so might as well try.

She started slow, until she felt the curls passing through each bristle with such ease before making her way faster. So far so good. It took a lot longer, but at least she felt presentable for today's picnic. The girls were going to get a kick out of this. Descending through the stairs, the others were already ready. They were waiting gleefully as they saw their friend finally making her way to the kitchen. Jackie's aunt spoke of a spot nearby. On top of a hill with a glorious sight of the land before them. There was also a lone tree that stood there way before the house was built. An added detail to bring something historical to today's excursion.

The girls bid farewell to the aunt's, promising to return before supper would even begin. Exiting to the outdoors, they were met with a glorious sunshine. Something filtered by the city's lifestyle. It felt different and absolutely wonderful as they began giggling among themselves. To think, they actually did it. They were on their final trip together, besties and all, before returning to pursue their dreams. Spotting the mentioned mound; hard to miss it when the long tree made its presence known to all within a 50 yards radius. They all made sure to wear appropriate shoes to travel through the elevated ground, each helping to make sure the other wouldn't lose their footing. Birds were singing nearby, along with the sounds of cicadas. The true sign of summer, thought Carol as she looked towards her friends.

On top, they found a nice spot to lay out the blanket. As they did, Carol felt really happy. The feeling was swelling so much, it was actually embarrassing to say she felt teary of sorts. She couldn't hide it well from her friends as they took notice. They were concerned, but honestly, it made the flow even more profusely as she wrapped her arms around them. The two girls looked at each other before reciprocating the embrace.

The moment made its mark on time before taking its leave. After which, the girls set everything up. Hoping to change the mood to something more uplifting, Whitney spoke of her little misadventure in the morning. It indeed got a chuckle or two from her friends. And she was fine with it because they were smiling now; a well-paid expense she thought.

As they ate their light sandwiches, the girls were talking about their future. Indeed, the road before them were splitting them up into different directions. But still, they'll make it work out somehow. Group chat, video chat, meetups. They each had the desire to see one another, so it will definitely work out for them. After all, they were all best friends and it was something worth fighting for and nothing was going to stop them. Career, boys, jobs, and especially life could not keep them too far from each other. Whitney was leaning against the trunk of the tree to view the movements of the clouds as they floated away from them. She felt the soft cushion of her curls on her back.

The tree didn't look soft, but then the other two girls noticed the hair behind Whitney's head. It was a delicate topic to talk even among the three of them. Whitney was very dismisses when it came to cutting her hair. Adding to the story they got from the girl about her morning struggles, maybe it was about that time for 'the talk'. They shared a stare before resuming the topic on hand.

With the sun cast over them, noon was apparent now. The girls spent most of the morning talking, they failed to notice the animals they attracted with their meals. Squirrels were nearby, though cautious of the humans. They even saw a bunny rabbit hopping its way towards them. They became excited by the creature, and spoke not a word in order to not alarm the furry animal. The rabbit paused for a moment, viewing the picnic before resuming its movement, gaining a smile from each girl. A hop and pause, the bunny finally got to the edge of the blanket as it began to sniff. After nearly a minute, the animal tilted its head.

Carol took out a piece of lettuce from her sandwich, gesturing towards the creature. It felt like a magical moment when man and beast established a connection. Jackie wanted to take a photograph, but felt it was best not. It was better to live the moment and keep the memories among themselves rather than to share it among strangers. No one needed this. They didn't earn it.

Whitney felt a bit bold as she tried to grab hold of the hopping animal after it finished its lettuce. With much success, she managed to get the bunny onto her lap. They were all thrilled as they tried to keep the shriek to a minimum. The bunny was slightly agitated but made no move to leave from her folded legs. Thinking this was a good sign, Whitney brought her face looker to examine the bunny close up. Eyes met each other, Whitney's reflection was cast clear within the dark hue of the bunny's inner glass.

Then it happened. Unbeknownst, Whitney revealed her ring around her neck. It was colorful compared her white dress, as it became shown through the rabbit's eyes. Not even a moment later, the rabbit hopped forward. The act of motion stunned Whitney as she fell backward on the ground. She felt the critter on her person leaving. Even though it was quick, she felt the tug and snap.

"My ring!" Whitney said before chasing after the rabbit. Jackie and Carol followed suit and it became a full-on chase. Whitney desperately ran, and God, she was glad she picked out something comfortable to wear. She leaped over a log, ripping the bottom laces of her dress. It mattered not. What truly held importance, were the rings. One of which was getting away from her sights. The rabbit kept its speed, but then stopped.

Finding what it was looking for, the rabbit dove in. Whitney's heart sank, before shaking the feeling off. Now was not the time. Instead, she did as the rabbit. Diving in, she went through a dirt hole. She managed to get most of her head, but felt a strong force pulling her from behind. Her hair! They were tangled by the dirt. She looked ahead and spotted the rabbit close by. She reached out. The ring was hanging on its mouth.

"Please! I don't mean any harm. I just want that ring back. It means the world to me!" Whitney begged. "Please..." She dropped her head. This was the worst. It was support to be a trip with her besties, but losing that ring would be almost the same as losing her friends. Looking up, the rabbit was gone. Just before she was about to drop her head again, she spotted it. The ring was left in the dirt.

"Whitney!" "Whitney!"

"Are you okay?" Jackie's voice said.

"I'm fine, but I'm stuck." She tried to pull out to prove her point.

"We can see why. Your hair is all tangled up." Carol said. The girls saw the extent of the disorder. It was time. Carol began. "Um... Whitney sweetie. Maybe this is a sign that it's about time for a haircut."

"I'm not hearing this right now." Whitney continued to struggle. No luck.

"I have to agree with Carol here. It's just so puffy and thick. You broke three of your brushes already. If that's not a clear sign, then I don't know what is?" Jackie started to dig through the dirt to hopefully make the gap wider.

"Why don't you want to cut your hair?" The question arose through Carol's lips. It was about time for a talk. Even if, one of your best friend was stuck on a hole made of dirt.

Despite Whitney's struggles, it was getting nowhere. Sighing, she let down her guard. It was a first, but then again, it was long overdue. "Because it reminded me of my mother."

That halted any action made by the girls. They were stunned by the statement. They met with Mrs. Wetta before. Her hair was straight and a slightly different shade of blonde. "Um...we're a bit confused. Your mom's hair is straight."

Of course, they would be confused. "That's because...it's because...because I'M ADOPTED!" Whitney finally spoke out as she tried to regain her breath. Yes, it was true. She was adopted. "My parents gave me up when I was young. It wasn't until Mr. and Mrs. Wetta came to me that I found a home. And even though I despise my actual parents, I wanted to keep something of them. To show them that they missed out on raising a great daughter." The last part, she whispered. But it was clear as day when the mound of dirt loosen its hold on the girl's hair. Jackie and Carol managed to pull the girl out with ring and all. If Whitney's hair was puffy and thick before, it was pale in comparison to how it was now. Dirt, twigs, and leaves were deep into her fibers of hair as her natural curls became more like a net. Trapping each one with ease, even when Whitney stood upright again.

Seeing such a display, one began to laugh followed by another. Then all three shared in the laughter. It was indeed funny. All three girls were covered in dirt; some more than others. But it mattered not. Although dirty and unsightly, the girls hugged it out. With the ring back in Whitney's possession, they had their talk. Jackie felt the need to feel the tangled and puffy that was Whitney's hair currently. The hair was definitely important to her, but Jackie and Carol were right. It was really about time for a trip to a salon. Maybe there was one here in Cartersville they could check out. Either way, the girls just started their vacation, and they were going to make the most of it.

"Oh and for the record, you are great." Carol said, with Jackie nodding in agreement.

**-END**

**Author's Notes:**

** Well, that's it for this story. A request made by crafordbrian17. Now fulfilled, I can focus on the next story. Until next time!-**_**sorrowXdarkness**_


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